Toad The Wet Sprocket biography
Toad the Wet Sprocket is an American alternative rock band formed in 1986. The band consists of vocalist and guitarist Glen Phillips, guitarist Todd Nichols, bassist Dean Dinning, and drummer Randy Guss. The band enjoyed chart success in the 1990s with the singles "Walk on the Ocean", "All I Want", "Something's Always Wrong", and "Fall Down", among others. The band broke up in 1998 to pursue other projects but in 2006 began touring the United States as a band in small-venue, short-run tours each summer. In December 2010, the band announced their official reunion as a full-time working band and have started writing songs for their first new studio album since their 1997 Columbia Records release Coil.
History
Name origin
Toad the Wet Sprocket took its name from a Monty Python comedy sketch called "Rock Notes"
[The "Rock Notes" sketch appeared on Monty Python's Contractual Obligation Album. Source:]
- From the band's website, as reconstructed by a fan: http://www.frightanic.com/goodies_content/toadthewetsprocket/facts.html
- From another blog, in case the first link becomes inactive: http://www.savedbyzero.org/how_toad_the_wet_sprocket_got_their_name/
in which a journalist delivers a nonsensical music news report:
As their first gig approached, the band still had not chosen a name. The members facetiously adopted "Toad the Wet Sprocket" because they thought it would be "hilarious". Vocalist Glen Philips later called it "a joke that went on too long", and, according to their website, "it was probably meant to be temporary at the time".
Eric Idle, the sketch's original performer, reflected on the band's name in a 1999 performance:
Early career
Toad the Wet Sprocket was formed in 1986, with the members having known one another from San Marcos High School just outside of Santa Barbara, California. Singer/songwriter Glen Phillips was only 16, Todd Nichols and Randy Guss were 19, and Dean Dinning was 20. The band's first public appearance was at an open-mic talent contest in September 1986. The band lost the competition.
Toad the Wet Sprocket's first album was released in 1989. Bread & Circus was self-financed through their label, Abe Records. The album spawned the singles "Way Away" and "One Little Girl", which made the Billboard Modern Rock Tracks chart, but received little attention.
The follow-up to Bread & Circus, Pale, was released in 1990 and saw their sound mature. During the recording of the album, Toad signed to Columbia Records while declining the opportunity to re-record Pale, but negotiating to have Columbia Records reissue Bread & Circus. Featuring the singles "Jam" and the Modern Rock Chart hit "Come Back Down", the album was still not a success; but the singles received heavy airplay on college radio stations and the band's first music video (for "One Little Girl") was directed by Mark Miremont and aired on MTV's 120 Minutes.
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